Haines residents haven’t been able to get a road test for a driver’s license since March. That could soon change… Haines’ police chief just got certified to give the behind-the-wheel test.
Don’t run any stop signs. The guy giving the driving test may soon be Haines’ top cop. That’s after word of a driver’s test backlog reached police chief Heath Scott.
“I was approached by a few parents of these young people. And they asked if I would be available to help,” he said.
To be clear, that’s not his normal job. He’s employed by the borough, not the state. But Scott said he felt sympathetic and applied with the state to become a proctor for the driving test. He applied in July and he got approval this month. He says there still are a few more steps—so he’s not entirely sure when he’ll be taking sign ups.
COVID-19 has slowed DMV operations. The agency offers quote “pandemic safe” motorcycle and non-commercial road tests in just five places: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Soldotna, and Palmer.
All of which are a long way from Haines.
“It’s not impossible to get around, but I feel like having a car is one of the necessities of being an adult. I’d like to have one,” said seventeen year-old Emily Gillham.
She is finishing up high school and working full time. She needs to take the test for her license. She says she’s been trying since March, but then came COVID-19.
So, she walks to her job at Chilkoot Indian Association and catches rides with family and friends for longer trips or grocery runs. With winter coming, she says it would be nice not to walk or rely on others to get around town. And she says she’s not the only one.
“I actually went in to ask, “Okay, so if I am not taking my test now, can I get on the list?” she said.
“The woman at the DMV just said, “We’re not doing a list. There’s no one scheduled for appointments.” And I found that a little surprising because there are a lot of people who believe they are on a list and they are going to get their appointments.”
It’s unclear how many people are waiting. DMV officials haven’t answered phones or questions. Borough officials say they’ve heard the Haines office was waiting for new equipment that’s expected to arrive later this month.
But Haines Assembly member Brenda Josephson says people have been waiting too long. She says she knows of at least one person who will make the trip to Juneau’s DMV.
“It’s going to cost her in excess of $1,000 in order to ferry her vehicle there, get the testing, and then come home and stay in the hotel. Plus, then of course you’ve got the exposure of COVID when you’re going outside of the community. So in addition to the cost, at this time, where we’re really trying to stay close to our community and not travel out, there’s that concern as well,” said Josephson.
The Haines borough’s CARES Act Ad Hoc Committee is recommending the assembly allocate up to $15,000 of federal relief money towards a solution. It also discussed bringing a private company to town. Josephson says one potential contractor would charge more than $8,000 to give 20 road tests.
That’s why officials in Haines are ready for the state DMV to resume giving driving tests in the community. Until then, the chief of police—the borough’s highest paid employee—could be a bargain option.
